Hiring Manager Brief Template: Summarise Candidates in One Minute

A hiring manager brief is a one-page summary comparing your top candidates in plain language, written so a busy non-recruiter can skim it in about a minute and respond. The best ones lead with a recommendation, give each candidate a few lines of evidence, and end with a question for the manager.

Why a brief beats forwarding resumes

Hiring managers rarely read a stack of resumes closely. A brief tells them what you think and why, so their feedback is about the decision and not about re-screening.

The template

1) Role and what we're optimising for, one sentence. 2) Recommendation: who you'd interview first and why. 3) For each candidate: two or three lines on fit, one clear strength, one open question. 4) What you need from the manager: a yes or no on each, plus any missing criterion.

Write for a non-recruiter

Avoid jargon and acronyms. Say "has run a team of five for three years" instead of "strong leadership signal". Use the same structure for every candidate so the manager can compare quickly.

Be explicit about what is unknown

If a requirement wasn't tested yet, say it. Managers trust a brief that separates "demonstrated" from "not yet assessed".

End with a decision request

A brief with no ask gets a vague reply. Close with a specific question, such as "Which two should we bring to a final round?"

Generating it in Rezumz

Rezumz's Hiring Manager Brief drafts this summary from your ranked candidates, and you can send it by email or from Slack. Review and edit it before sending; it is a draft built from the data in your account.